Help with Icom 208H thats frozen

[nwoods]

I have an Icom 208H that seems to be locked somehow. I can receive and I think transmit (the digital bargraph spikes up when I key the mic). I can turn the unit on and off, but I cannot change channels, no matter what I do. It seems to be stuck in duplex mode, but when I key the mic, it does not shift to the offset. Which means that no one on the repeater can hear me. Very frustrating!

Does anyone know how to unlock this thing? I'm about to contribute this infernal device to the landfill!

[troyboy162]

sorry no advice, but maybe a google search for the manuel? after that id try a repair center. if it comes down to pitching it, then pitch it over here

[Roger]

Nathan,

Try disconnecting the power from the source. That might reset it.

[Russ Chung]

RESET THE RADIO, hold the [SET LOCK] and [S.MW-MW] buttons down during power-up. ...

[nwoods]

Nathan,

Try disconnecting the power from the source. That might reset it.

No joy

[nwoods]

RESET THE RADIO, hold the [SET LOCK] and [S.MW-MW] buttons down during power-up. ...

Winner! That did it. Not sure what locked it, but finally it's free at last! Thanks Russ. Thanks to all of you for taking the time to think about this.

Cheers

Nathan

[Matt2001TJ]

Winner! That did it. Not sure what locked it, but finally it's free at last! Thanks Russ. Thanks to all of you for taking the time to think about this.

Cheers

Nathan

My Yaesu locked up last month. I had to do the same thing. After a reset it worked fine but I had to re-program it again. Good old software and a back up took care of it in about two minutes.

[nwoods]

Okay, stumped again. Now my 208 works fine in all respects save one: It won't transmit. I can receive like a champ, tune and dial in freq's to my hearts content. The handset works fine, the remote head works fine, everything seems operational, but when I key the mic, absolutely nothing happens. If I'm in duplex, it never switches to the offset freq. If I'm in simplex, it just doesn't do anything. No power meter at the bottom of the display, nothing. I can change power settings, change tx modes, change anything that there is to change, but I cannot transmit.

Any suggestions?

[troyboy162]

does the mic work when connected to another radio? wiggle the wire where it connectes to the radio and to the handset?

id guess the singnal to TX never makes it to the radio from what you are describing

[Russ Chung]

Nathan, I did a search for "ICOM 208H Microphone Problems" and found that there are many complaints about failures of the Push-to-talk button on the microphone. Here is a link to a discussion which suggests taking it apart and cleaning the microswitch with alcohol and another post in the same thread which suggests beefing up the rubber cover over the microswitch: http://forums.radioreference.com/ama...till-junk.html

[nwoods]

Thanks guys, I will play with that tonight and report back

[nwoods]

My initial attempts to clean the switch did not resolve it. So I dusted off some rusty soldering skills, and removed the switch and reseated it in a new bed of solder. While at it, I removed the thick cloth wind cover over the mic pick-up, and ever so slightly eased open the small hole that you speak through.

Upon reassembly, I tightened up the screws to the circuit board, put it all back together and plugged it in. Negative results again, but different this time. Now I have a solid red light on the keypad, and if I hit a certain button (not quite sure which one), I get a solid continuous tx indication, that I cannot cancel without turning off the unit. For those of you on the Catalina repeater tonight, I apologize :-)

After a few dissassemblies, reassemblies, and testing, I realized somewhat stupidly that I was tightening the circuit too much, and it was pushing the PCB into the keypad membrane, causing a "sticky" button effect (and thus the red light).

I finally got the right amount of tension in the PCB attachment, put it all back together, and it worked! I had a contact from a Big Bear repeater from here in Yorba Linda (about 60 miles away), who said I sounded "amazingly clear, with excellent sound". Awesome.

So, cleaning the red plastic solid state mic switch with contact cleaner, easing open the hole for the mic, and removing the thick windscreen tape over the mic, and carefully not over-tightening the screws for the PCB, all seemed to have worked well.

Thanks!

[Roger]

It sure is nice when you can fix a problem! Good Job!